Re: Levering/Bokar/Frey

Rosier LEVERING
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Birth:       abt 1615, Leydon Holland
Death:       Gamen Germany
Reli:       Mennonite

ROSIER LEVERING; was born in the early years of the seventeenth century. He is the known progenitor of the Levering family in America, hence I designate him as the zero, or bench-mark, from which to grade succeeding generations descendingfrom him. It is believed that he was born in Holland, of ancient English or Anglo-Saxon parentage; exiled, because of persecution for their religious principles. He married Elizabeth Van de Walle, of Wesel, in Westphalia, in Germany, near to the frontier of Holland. They settled in the same district, at Gemen, where several children were born to them, between the years 1648 and 1662. Tradition,
preserved by the remnant of the family at Gemen, says they occupied the old Levering homestead in that town, and that they died there.


Spouse:       Elizabeth VAN DE WALLE
Birth:       21 May 1626, Wesel Westfalia Germany
Death:       Gamen Germany
Father:       Jacobus VAN DE WALLE
Marr:       abt 1647, wesel Westfalia Germany

Children:       Wigard (~1649-1745)
       Gerhard (Garret) (1660->1731)
       Eberhard (Enert) (~1652-1711)
       William (~1658-1709)
       Alche (~1656-)
       Elizabeth (~1654-)
       ??? (1662-)

1.1 Wigard LEVERING
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Birth:       abt 1649, Gamen Germany
Death:       2 Feb 1745, Philadelphia Pa.
Burial:       Leverington Cemetary, Roxborough Pa
Occ:       Weaver Yeoman Joyner
Reli:       Mennonite

JOHN WIGARD: born in 1648 or '49, in the town of Gemen,
in Germany. In April, 1674, he married "the chaste virgin,"
Magdalena Bokers, of Essen. She was a native of
Leyden, in Holland. They lived in Gemen until some
time after the birth and decease of their first child, and
then removed to Mulheim, where they remained until
they emigrated to America, after the 20th of March, 1685,
bringing their surviving four children.
He settled first in Germantown, Philadelphia, and removed from there a short distance west, into Roxborough Township, in 1691, where he bought a tract of five hundred acres of land, lying between and bordering upon both the River Schuylkill and Wissahickon Creek. Upon this estate he lived his remaining years with his family, and died there.
His wife Magdalena died in the summer of 1717, aged about 67 years. He died February 2, 1745, at the probable age of 97 years, and was buried upon his farm in a spot overlooking the romantic Wissahickon, which has become a part of the famous Fairmount Park of Philadelphia. This spot subsequently became the churchyard and burial ground of the Baptist Church, organized in 1789, which was greatly enlarged, and is now known as Leverington Cemetery, under a special charter from the State of Pennsylvania. This ground doubtless contains the remains of Magdalena. A gravestone marking the interment, in June, 1744, of their grandchild, Clement Levering, still stands, and points the place where repose the old pioneers, though no sculptured tablet was ever erected there to their memory.
His wife Magdalena died in the summer of 1717, aged about 67 years. He died February 2, 1745, at the probable age of 97 years, and was buried upon his farm in a spot overlooking the romantic Wissahickon, which has become a part of the famous Fairmount Park of Philadelphia. This spot subsequently became the churchyard and burial ground of the Baptist Church, organized in 1789, which was greatly enlarged, and is now known as Leverington Cemetery, under a special charter from the State of Pennsylvania. This ground doubtless contains the remains of Magdalena. A gravestone marking the interment, in June, 1744, of their grandchild, Clement Levering, still stands, and points the place where repose the old pioneers, though no sculptured tablet was ever erected there to their memory.

Wigard came to Philadelphia on the ship Penn's Woodland from Holland in 1685 having arrived before the month of August, 1685.
The Frankfort Company was engaged in the transportation of persons desiring to remove to their colony. The written contract entered into by Wigard Levering with the local agents at Wesel, Dr. Thomas Van Wylick and Johannes Le Brun, for transportation of himself and family to Philadelphia, dated 20th of March, 1685
"We, the subscribers, do acknowledge and confess by these Presents, that we have contracted and agreed together, that Doctor Thomas Van Wylick and Johannes Le Brun, in behalf of the Pennsylvania Company, in which they, and other friends of Frankfort and other parts, are engaged, to except or receive me, Wigard Levering, old 36 or 37 years, and Magdalena Boeckers, old 36 years, and four children, Anna Catharine, William, Amelia, and Sibella, respectively 1/2, 2 1/2, 5 and 9 years, to and for the service of the aforementioned Company, to transport by shipping out of Holland or Ingland, to Pennsylvania, upon their cost," etc. On arrival in Pennsylvania, they agreed to report themselves to Francis Daniel Pastorius, who was general agent for the company.Written upon the margin of the instrument an agreement to include "the Contractor's brother, Gerhard Levering."

Documentary evidence of the brothers is contained in a recorded deed, executed in August, 1685."On the tenth of that month and year, Francis Daniel Pastorius, as the attorney of Jacob Van de Walle and others, forming the Frankford Company, conveyed to Wigard Levering a lot in Germantown containing fifty acres of land. The deed is in the German language, and closes as follows: `So done in Germantown, on the 10th day of the 6th month (August), in the year of Christ 1685, in the sixteenth year of the reign of King James the Second of England, and in the fifth year of the reign of William Penn.'"(*)
Wigard and Gerhard Levering -they, with several others, had been naturalized "on the 7th of the 3d month, [May] 1691, by Thomas Lloyd, being Deputy Governor." The record shows: "They having solemnly promised faith and allegiance to William and Mary, and fidelity and lawful obedience to William Penn, as Proprietary, it is declared and granted to them to be henceforth, Freemen in Law," etc.
Both Wigard Levering and Gerhard, were now entitled to be freeholders, as well as free men, and in this they exercised their rights, as Wigard acquired five hundred acres of land by purchase, and Gerhard bought one hundred acres, adjoining. These tracts reached from the Wissahickon Creek to the Schuylkill River, and embraced a considerable portion of Roxborough.
The inventory of Wigard's estate, as made by Matthew Houlgate and Isaac Cook, on the 9th day of February, 1744-45, lists household effects sufficient for one room only--except "one bible valued o1.10 and one singing book--shows that he had retired from active life and was "only waiting till the shadows a little longer grew"; the while, clinging to His Word as the beacon which would guide him safely "over the river."





Spouse:       Magdalena BOKERS
Birth:       abt 1650, Leydon Holland
Death:       1717, Philadelphia Pa.
Father:       William BOKER
Mother:       Sidonia Williams BRAVIERS
Marr:       22 Mar 1674, Germany

Children:       Anna Sophia ( Johanna Sophia) (Died as Infant) (1675-1675)
       Anna Catharine (1676-1754)
       Maria Elizabeth (Died as Infant) (1677-1695)
       William (1679-)
       Amelia Anna Sophia (1682-1771)
       Anna Sibella (1684-1764)
       Herman (1686-1691)
       Elizabeth (1689-1703)
       Sidonia (1691-)
       Jacob (1693-1753)
       Magdalena (1695-1695)
       Magdalena (1696-1736)

1.2 Gerhard (Garret) LEVERING
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Birth:       6 Oct 1660, Gamen Westphalia Germany
Death:       aft 1731, Whitpain Twp. Montgomery co. Pa.
Reli:       Mennonite

GERHARD2: born about 1660 in Gemen. He emigrated to America with his brother Wigard in 1685. He married Mary (???), after his arrival at Philadelphia. He died in Whitpain Township, Philad. County, Pa., after theyear 1731.



Spouse:       Mary MAIDEN
Birth:       abt 1652, Gamen Westphalia Germany

Children:       Henry (1702-1777)
       Daniel (1704-1776)
       Jacob (1706-1793)
       Magdalena (1708-)
       Abraham (~1695-1730)

1.3 Eberhard (Enert) LEVERING
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Birth:       abt 1652, Gemen, Wetphalia Germany
Death:       5 Sep 1711

EBERHARD2: born about 1652, in Gemen, Germany, where he married in 1677, Mechtold, daughter of Gerhard Schmulling, and died there Sept. 5, 1711.



Children of (3) Eberhard2 and Mechtold (Schmulling) Levering.
21.I. HERMANN OTTO3: b. in 1678, at Gemen, Germany.
22.II. ANNA MARGARETTA GERDRUT3: b. April, 1680, at Gemen,
Germany.
23.III. ROSIER WENSALL3: b. Oct., 1681, at Gemen, Germany.
24.IV. WILLIAM JOHN DEITRICH3:|Nov., 1683, at Gemen, Germany.
25.V. ANNA ELSHEN3:|
26.VI. ANNA SOPHIA3:|Feb., 1686, at Gemen, Germany.
27.VII. GERTRUT SIBELLA3: |
28.VIII. DIETRICH ARNHOLDT3: April, 1687, at Gemen, Germany.
29.IX. CATARINA ELIZABETH3: Feb., 1689, at Gemen, Germany.



Spouse:       Mechtold (Mechelt) SCHMULLING
Father:       Gerhard SCHMULLING
Marr:       1677

Children:       Herman Otto (1678-)
       Anna Margaretta Gerdrut (1680-)
       Rosier Wensall (1681-)
       William John Deitrich (1683-)
       Anna Elshen (1683-)
       Anna Sophia (1686-)
       Gertrude Sibella (1686-)
       Deitrich Arnholdt (1687-)
       Catarina Elizabeth (1689-)

1.4a William LEVERING*
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Birth:       abt 1658
Death:       3 Jan 1709

WILLIAM2: born about 1658 at Gemen, where he married about 1687 Grete Nilant, who died. He married 2d, about 1691 Maria Velts, of Gemen. He died there January 3, 1709.




Child of (6) William2 and Grete (Nilant) Levering.
30I. ROSIER GERHARDT3: b. May, 1688, at Gemen, Germany.



Children of same and Maria (Velts) 2d Wife.
31.II. ELSCHEN CHRISTINA GERTRUDT3: b. June, 1692, at Gemen.
32.III. WILLIAM DIRICH3: b. June, 1693, at Gemen.
33.IV. FLORENTINA LIZABETH3: b. Mch., 1695, at Gemen.
34.V. IAN DANIEL3: b. Oct., 1696, at Gemen.
35.VI. CHARLOTTE MEIDA3: b. Sept., 1698, at Gemen.



Spouse:       Grete NILANT

Children:       Rosier Gerhardt (1658-)

Other Spouses Maria VELTS

1.4b William LEVERING* (See above)
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Spouse:       Maria VELTS
Marr:       1691

Children:       Elshin Christina Gertrudt (1692-)
       William Dirich (1693-)
       Florence Lizabeth (1695-)
       Daniel (1696-)
       Charlotte (1698-)

Other Spouses Grete NILANT

1.5 Alche LEVERING
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Birth:       abt 1656

ALCHE: born about 1656 at Gemen. She appeared as a witness at the christening ceremony of her brother's twin daughter, in church records, as certified by the Churchmester. That she and her sister Elizabeth appeared in these vicarious relations attests the fact of their having attained the acceptable age for recognition by the church.




1.6 Elizabeth LEVERING
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Birth:       abt 1654

ELIZABETH: born about 1654, at Gemen. She was present at the christening of her brother's children is testified inthe Gemen Church records. There is no further knowledge of her.




1.7 ??? LEVERING
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Birth:       1662

DAUGHTER born September, 1662, in Gemen. The evidence of this is found at item No. 17, copied from church records, which see. That godmothers only appeared determinesthe "child" to have been a daughter.